Graphene Process Technician

About Terrion

Terrion, Inc. is an advanced carbon materials company building a fully domestic production pathway for synthetic graphite and graphene. Our patent-pending Carbonyx™ process converts Pennsylvania anthracite into three co-produced materials — synthetic graphite powder, high-density fine-grain graphite blocks, and graphene — using a single integrated process rather than three separate supply chains.

Graphite is a designated critical material. The United States imports the overwhelming majority of the synthetic graphite it consumes, and domestic capacity is limited. Terrion exists to change that. We are venture-backed, part of the IBX family of companies, and are moving from bench-scale demonstration into pilot production now.

This is early-stage manufacturing. You will be one of a small number of people who physically make the material, and the data you generate will directly shape how the commercial process is designed.

Position Summary

The Graphene Process Technician prepares, processes, and helps characterize Terrion’s graphene and related carbon nanomaterials, working closely with the research team and technical leads. The work is hands-on: weighing and dispersion, slurry preparation, sonication, centrifugation, filtration, washing, and drying, along with sample preparation and quality control support. You will follow and refine procedures, record results, and help improve material quality and batch-to-batch consistency. As needs require, you will also support development work on the company’s other carbon materials.

Precision in following procedures and in recording what actually happened matters more here than speed. The records you keep are the evidence base for product qualification and for scaling graphene production to commercial volumes.

What You’ll Do

Graphene Preparation and Processing

• Prepare graphene and related carbon nanomaterials using established procedures, including material weighing, solution and slurry preparation, mixing, and dispersion
• Operate sonication, centrifugation, filtration, washing, and drying equipment to isolate and finish graphene product
• Assist research staff with experimental optimization, troubleshooting, and development of improved preparation procedures
• Handle dry nanoscale carbon materials under the applicable engineering and respiratory controls
• Support commissioning and acceptance testing of new equipment as graphene production is scaled up

Characterization and Quality Control

• Assist with material characterization and quality control using available instruments, evaluate sample consistency, and report unexpected results
• Pull in-process and lot samples, prepare samples for internal testing and for shipment to external accredited laboratories, and maintain sample chain of custody
• Maintain complete material genealogy — every lot, every transfer, every time

Records, Equipment, and Laboratory Support

• Record process and experimental conditions, material quantities, processing times, and sample identification in laboratory notebooks, batch records, and electronic records; complete pre-operational safety checks and deviation reports
• Operate, set up, clean, and perform first-line maintenance on laboratory and process equipment; report equipment problems and off-normal conditions promptly
• Maintain an organized laboratory, manage supplies, and follow chemical safety and waste-disposal procedures
• Contribute to writing and improving standard operating procedures based on what you learn running them

Other Materials Development

• Support development work on the company’s graphite and carbon precursor materials as needed, including sample preparation, wet chemical processing, powder handling, and thermal processing

Minimum Qualifications

• An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, or a technical certificate, in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, nanotechnology, chemical or process technology, or a related field. No minimum years of experience; recent graduates are encouraged to apply, and laboratory coursework, research, internships, and co-ops count
• Alternatively, a high school diploma or equivalent with 3+ years of hands-on experience in a laboratory, materials processing environment, technical production facility, or a military technical rating
• Ability to follow written procedures exactly, with close attention to detail, and to keep accurate, contemporaneous records in laboratory notebooks, batch records, and Excel or similar tools
• Commitment to laboratory safety and comfort handling hazardous chemicals and fine powders while wearing required personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection
• Mechanical aptitude and comfort with laboratory and process equipment, including balances, pumps, mixers, centrifuges, hand tools, and basic instrumentation
• Ability to recognize when a process is not behaving normally and to stop and escalate rather than proceed
• Must be able to work on-site in Gaithersburg, Maryland

Preferred Qualifications

None of the following are required. Each is a meaningful advantage.

• 2–3 years of hands-on laboratory or materials-processing experience
• Experience with graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphite, carbon nanotubes, or other nanomaterials, including graphene preparation by liquid-phase exfoliation, chemical oxidation and reduction, or chemical vapor deposition
• Experience with sonication, high-shear mixing, centrifugation, filtration, or dispersion preparation
• Familiarity with Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, AFM, or other characterization techniques, and with data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or Origin
• Experience with laboratory quality control, batch records, or process optimization, including in regulated environments (cGMP, GLP, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, or similar)
• Acid handling, wet chemistry, or other experience handling toxic or corrosive liquids and chemical waste
• Fine powder handling, including airborne nanomaterial powders, and familiarity with combustible dust practices
• High-temperature furnace, vacuum system, or inert-atmosphere experience
• Experience in specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical or biotech, battery materials, coatings, ceramics, or other materials manufacturing or research and development, including thin-film, coating, composite, or powder processing
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, HAZWOPER, or lockout/tagout training

We welcome recent graduates and candidates with hands-on laboratory experience in chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, or chemical engineering, as well as candidates from adjacent process industries and military technical trades. Direct graphene experience is preferred but not required. We are looking for someone practical, careful, reliable, and curious about materials science, who takes pride in producing consistent material and documents work accurately. Training on our specific preparation procedures and equipment will be provided.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a laboratory and pilot manufacturing environment with chemical, thermal, electrical, noise, and dust hazards
• Requires standing and walking for extended periods, bending, kneeling, reaching, and climbing stairs and step platforms
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and to move drums and containers with appropriate equipment
• Must be able to wear required PPE, including chemical-resistant suits, gloves, face shield, and respiratory protection; respirator use requires medical clearance and fit testing under 29 CFR 1910.134
• Requires manual dexterity sufficient to handle small samples, fittings, and instrumentation
• This position is designated safety-sensitive: it requires consistent adherence to safe operating practices, written procedures, and personal protective equipment requirements

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Compensation and Benefits

Wage range: $24.00 to $34.00 per hour. Actual pay within the range depends on experience, relevant certifications, and demonstrated skill.

Other compensation: Overtime paid at one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek; eligible for an annual performance bonus.

Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; employer-sponsored life and disability insurance; 401(k) with employer contribution; paid time off and paid holidays; safety footwear and prescription safety eyewear allowance; employer-paid training and certification.

Work Authorization and Export Control

Terrion’s technology and technical data are subject to U.S. export control laws, and this position requires access to controlled technical data. Candidates must qualify as a U.S. person: a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or an individual granted refugee or asylee status. Visa sponsorship and export authorization are not available for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Terrion, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

How to Apply

Send a resume to careers@terrion.io. A cover letter is optional. If you have prepared materials in a laboratory, research project, or job, tell us what equipment you used and what you were making.